Street crimes in Karachi have jumped manifold in recent months. As was the case a few years before in Karachi, people are once again terrified of street snatchings, which also result in trigger-happy gunshot fatalities.
A journalist associated with Samaa TV was shot dead by armed robbers during an alleged snatching bid in Karachi’s North Nazimabad area on Friday morning.
The MQM and the PTI government have both blamed the PPP government for the rise in crime and the failure to curb it. Certainly, this is a serious situation given that the lives and security of people is one of the primary priorities of any government.
Journalist shot dead
A senior producer working for Samaa TV was shot dead during a botched robbery in Karachi’s North Nazimabad area.
According to SSP Central Usman Maroof, a 45-year-old Ather Mateen was returning to his home after dropping off his children at school when he was waylaid by a couple of armed robbers on a motorbike near Shah Medical Hospital in Block-A of the area.
The officer quoted the initial investigation as revealing that the victim sensed danger after spotting a motorbike approaching him and he accelerated his car and hit the bikers. “They fell off the motorbike and in reaction, opened fire on the man and fled,” he added.
However, the officer said some eyewitnesses claimed that the armed men were robbing the victim of his valuables and upon resistance, they shot him dead. The body of the victim was taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for medico-legal formalities.
The gunmen also left their motorbike on the spot after it reportedly developed some fault and made off after snatching another bike from a citizen on the crime scene, the SSP added. He said the police were investigating the case from all aspects.
Rising street crimes
A complete failure of law enforcers to counter an alarming rise in street crimes in Karachi has been witnessed as 13 citizens were killed so far during 11,000 reported incidents in just 1.5 months of 2022.
According to a data collected by a private media outlet, 13 citizens including police officials and a journalist have lost their lives so far for resisting robberies, whereas, the reported dacoities during the past 1.5 months were 11,000.
More than 80 persons got injured for resisting robberies in the port city. According to the latest statistics, 3,845 mobile phones were snatched in Karachi from January 1 to February 17, 672 motorcycles and 20 cars.
The number of vehicles snatched by street criminals was other than the stolen cars and motorcycles. The police department confirmed that 6,087 motorcycles and 296 cars were stolen during the said period.
Karachi police chief’s statement
Talking to a local daily, Newly appointed city police chief, Additional Inspector General (Addl. IG) Ghulam Nabi Memon talked about unabated street crimes in the provincial capital, saying that there was lack of understanding between the operation wing of the police and investigation branch and different units of the police dealing with host of crimes.
He suggested that this ‘disconnect’ had partly compounded the problem of street crime in the city. As part of the new strategy, SHOs had been given responsibility of obtaining CCTV footage, collecting evidence and identifying the suspects/accused in coordination with the investigation branch of the police.
He regretted that as past practice, the SHOs only got FIRs registered in case of vehicles lifting or cell phone snatching, and investigation was assigned to others.
He maintained that the performance of SHOs, DSPs and SSPs both of operational and investigation wings would be assessed on a weekly and monthly basis to ascertain as to how many CCTV footage were obtained and suspects/accused identified, and to what extent detection of crimes carried out.
Stern measures needed
When the Rangers-led cleanup operation in Karachi commenced in 2013, the metropolis was a hotbed of ethnic, political and sectarian violence with rampant targeted killings, kidnapping for ransom and bank robberies.
The crackdown against these major crimes  led to a simultaneous drop in street crimes. It however now seems to be back and this is terrible news for all the people who live and work in Karachi.
However, it is the duty of the police to protect the citizens. Another factor contributing to the stubborn levels of street crime is that perpetrators, even when nabbed, are often back on the streets after being acquitted, which calls for better collection of evidence to ensure conviction.
